- 1). Obtain habanero seeds by purchasing a pepper from the supermarket. Slit it open with a sharp knife and remove the seeds. Leave the seeds out in the open sun to air for a week before planting.
- 2). Begin planting in very late winter or very early spring before the last frost is due. Fill your earthbox with organic potting soil and thin it out by adding perlite.
- 3). Place two or three habanero seeds equidistant from one another in the box. Push them about an inch down from the top of the soil, and then fill the box’s water reservoir. Cover the top of the soil with a thick layer of cedar mulch. This will help to insulate the sun’s rays, since habanero plants typically prefer a soil temperature of above 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 4). Place the box in a window sill if you live in a climate which regularly drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise place them anywhere outside that gets maximum sunlight. Use your soil temperature gauge to check them each day. If for any reason the temperature drops below 45 degrees, get them indoors immediately as the seeds can die if they are chilled for too long. Your plants should sprout in mid to late spring; habaneros grow slowly.
- 5). Cut out a sheet of black plastic to cover the top of the earthbox. Use a knife to cut openings for the plant sprouts. The sheeting will aid to concentrate the sun’s rays and heat the soil to the optimum temperature, between 85 and 90 degrees.
- 6). Make sure to top off the reservoir every week and give the plants a full dose of 15-15-15- NPK fertilizer each time. This stands for 15% nitrogen, 15% phosphorus and 15% potassium. It will provide all the nutrients your peppers will need. The first of them should be ripe for picking with three and a half months from the date of planting.
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